(1) The facility must meet the applicable provisions of either the health care occupancies chapters or the residential board and care occupancies chapter of the Life Safety Code ( LSC ) , 2000 edition, of the National Fire Protection Association ( NFPA ) , 2000 edition, which is incorporated by reference. A copy of the LSC , 2000 edition, may be obtained from the National Fire Protection Association, Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02269.

(a) The department may apply a single chapter of the LSC to the entire facility or may apply different chapters to different buildings or parts of buildings as permitted by the LSC .

(b) A facility that meets the LSC definition of a residential board and care occupancy and that has 16 or fewer beds must have its evacuation capability evaluated in accordance with the Evacuation Difficulty Index of the LSC (Appendix F) .

(2) For facilities that meet the LSC definition of a health care occupancy:

(a) the department may waive, for a period it considers appropriate, specific provisions of the LSC if:

(i) the waiver would not adversely affect the health and safety of the clients; and

(ii) rigid application of specific provisions would result in an unreasonable hardship for the facility.